Bujalski’s “Beeswax” Buzzes To Distribution

Bujalski's "Beeswax" Buzzes To Distribution

Andrew Bujalski’s “Beeswax” – which screened at both the Berlin and SXSW Film Festivals earlier this year – has been acquired for U.S. distribution by The Cinema Guild.

Set in Austin, the film is the story of twins, one of whom owns a second hand shop. Described by indieWIRE‘s Eugene Hernandez in an interview with Bujalski during Berlin, the film is “short on plot but full of chatty interplay between its characters, and features a host of performances by players in the local Austin film scene. Filmmaker Kyle Henry is the local staffer at the vintage store, SXSW’s Janet Pierson portrays the lesbian lover of the twins’ Mom, the Zellner Brothers have small roles, and filmmaker Alex Karposvsky (“Woodpecker”) co-stars as a main love interest.”

At the time of the interview, Bujalski was insecure about the film’s distribution prospects given the tough climate for indie films in theaters. “One of the reasons it took me four years [to make “Beeswax”] was that I spent a lot of that time being a distributor,” Bujalski told Hernandez.

The distribution deal was negotiated by Ryan Krivoshey, Director of Distribution for The Cinema Guild with Houston King, Executive Producer of “Beeswax” which will open in New York on August 7 at Film Forum, followed by a national release.

“There is a moment in ‘Funny Ha Ha’ when it becomes apparent that you are watching the debut of an exceedingly talented writer and director. ‘Mutual Appreciation’ built on that promise, and now with ‘Beeswax,’ only his third feature film, Andrew has delivered a sharp, smartly written, mature work that will appeal not only to his existing fans but to a whole new audience,” commented Ryan Krivoshey, in a statement. “We are very excited to be working with Andrew and his team on the release of this film.”

Andrew Bujalski previously directed “Funny Ha Ha” (2002) and “Mutual Appreciation” (2005), and is considered a key figured in the Mumblecore “movement” (though in the aforementioned interview with Hernandez, notes he’s “not crazy” about that term).